Forward rail guard for rifles

Abstract

A rifle assembly includes a rifle and a forward rail guard. The rifle includes a receiver, a barrel extending forwardly of the receiver, and forward rails arranged around a portion of the barrel. The forward rail guard mounted to the forward rails and extending from a rear end proximate the receiver and a forward end extending forwardly of a forward end of the forward rails. The forward rail guard can include left and right guard sections configured to separately connect to left and right side forward rails of the rifle and extend below a barrel thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rifle assembly comprising;
 a rifle including a receiver, a barrel extending forwardly of the receiver, and forward rails arranged around a portion of the barrel; and 
 a forward rail guard mounted to the forward rails and extending from a rear end proximate the receiver to a forward end extending forwardly of a forward end of the forward rails; 
 wherein the forward rails include left and right side forward rails and the forward rail guard is releasably mounted to the left and right side forward rails; and 
 wherein the forward rail guard is formed of separate left and right guard sections slidably received on the left and right side forward rails, respectively. 
 
     
     
       2. The rifle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the forward rail guard includes guide channels on interior sides thereof, respective pairs of the guide channels slidably engaging the left and right side forward rails. 
     
     
       3. A rifle assembly comprising:
 a rifle including a receiver, a barrel extending forwardly of the receiver, and forward rails arranged around a portion of the barrel; and 
 a forward rail guard mounted to the forward rails and extending from a rear end proximate the receiver and a forward end extending forwardly of a forward end of the forward rails; 
 wherein the forward rails include left and right side forward rails and the forward rail guard is releasably mounted to the left and right side forward rails; 
 wherein the forward rail guard includes guide channels on interior sides thereof, respective pairs of the guide channels slidably engaging the left and right side forward rails; and 
 wherein the forward rail guard further includes a flexible tab on respective sides thereof, each of the flexible tabs being inwardly biased between one of the respective pairs of guide channels to releasably engage a respective one of the left and right side forward rails to prevent sliding movement thereof. 
 
     
     
       4. The rifle assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of the flexible tabs is located within a respective cutout so as to remain flush with a respective exterior side of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       5. The rifle assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of the flexible tabs is located forward of the rear end of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       6. The rifle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a lower flange extending from one of the left and right guard sections extends inside the other of the left and right guard sections along an underside of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       7. The rifle assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the lower flange extends along substantially an entire length of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       8. The rifle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the forward rails further include top and bottom forward rails, and the forward rail guard extends between the left and right side forward rails so as to substantially cover the bottom forward rail. 
     
     
       9. The rifle assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the forward rail guard defines an upper opening between the left and right side forward rails allowing access to the top forward rail. 
     
     
       10. A rifle assembly comprising:
 a rifle including a receiver, a barrel extending forwardly of the receiver, and forward rails arranged around a portion of the barrel; and 
 a forward rail guard mounted to the forward rails and extending from a rear end proximate the receiver and a forward end extending forwardly of a forward end of the forward rails; 
 wherein the forward rails include left and right side forward rails and the forward rail guard is releasably mounted to the left and right side forward rails; 
 wherein the forward rails further include too and bottom forward rails, and the forward rail guard extends between the left and right side forward rails so as to substantially cover the bottom forward rail; 
 wherein the forward rail guard defines an upper opening between the left and right side forward rails allowing access to the top forward rail; and 
 wherein the rifle further includes a forward sight block mounting area arranged on the barrel forward of the forward rails, the upper opening also allowing access to the forward sight block mounting area, the forward rail guard covering an upper portion of the barrel forwardly of the forward sight block mounting area. 
 
     
     
       11. The rifle assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the forward rail guard further includes a forward wall at least partially surrounding the forward sight block mounting area. 
     
     
       12. A forward rail guard for a rifle, the forward rail guard comprising:
 left and right guard sections configured to separately connect to left and right side forward rails of a rifle and extend below a barrel thereof; 
 wherein each of the left and right guard sections includes guide channels on respective interior sides thereof, the guide channels configured to slidably engage the left and right forward side rails, respectively; and 
 wherein each of the left and right guard sections includes a flexible tab biased inwardly to engage the left and right forward side rails, respectively, to prevent sliding movement of the left and right guard sections, respectively. 
 
     
     
       13. The forward rail guard of  claim 12 , wherein each of the flexible tabs is located with a cutout on the left and right guard sections, respectively, such that the flexible tabs remain flush with an exterior side of the left and right guard sections, respectively. 
     
     
       14. The forward rail guard of  claim 12 , wherein each of the flexible tabs is located forward of a rear end of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       15. The forward rail guard of  claim 12 , wherein a lower flange extends from one of the left and right guard sections inside the other of the left and right guard sections along an underside of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       16. The rifle assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the lower flange extends along substantially an entire length of the forward rail guard. 
     
     
       17. The rifle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein an upper opening is defined between the left and right guard sections allowing access to a top forward rail of the rifle. 
     
     
       18. A forward rail guard for a rifle, the forward rail guard comprising:
 left and right guard sections configured to separately connect to left and right side forward rails of a rifle and extend below a barrel thereof; 
 wherein an upper opening is defined between the left and right guard sections allowing access to a top forward rail of the rifle; 
 where an upper flange extends from one of the left and right guard sections inside the other of the left and right guard sections forwardly of the upper opening. 
 
     
     
       19. The rifle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein a hand-stop is formed on a forward end of the forward rail guard on an underside of at least one of the left and right guard sections.